Man City confident Richards will pen contract

The Manchester Evening News says a new deal that would more than double the teenager's wages to around £50,000 per week, has been on the table for months whilst the England defender has sorted out who he wants to represent him.

Dithering over re-signing for the Blues has already cost the 19-year-old more than £300,000 in lost earnings but the club are confident an end to the saga could be in sight.

Richards' prevarication is believed to be tied up with the fact that he recently quit his management company SEM and handed his financial affairs over to his dad Lincoln who is still in talks with Blues chief executive Alistair Mackintosh. The two men met at Goodison Park on Saturday.